Accidentally on Purpose
by foxgloves
Summary: As a thief, Youko coveted beautiful things. Especially if they were hard to steal. The Shikon no Tama was just that. How was he supposed to know there was a priestess trapped inside with her mortal enemy?
1. Chapter 1

Accidentally on Purpose

I

They didn't call him the King of Thieves for nothing. Not many could say they had successfully stolen from Sesshomaru of the Western Lands, after all.

Hm, well, _somewhat_ successfully, Youko amended as he dexterously avoided another snap of the taiyoukai's sizzling whip by launching himself off the trunk of a tree with a powerful thrust of his legs. In his wake the thick branch was sliced cleanly off and thunderously crashed to the ground.

"Awfully protective of this little bauble, aren't you?" The kitsune taunted with a flash of his own canines. "Legend tells that one may make a wish upon it. Anything they desire. I wonder what your wish might be?"

Crimson seeped into Sesshomaru's cold gold eyes. "Fox, you will not live to regret the day that you stole from _me. _Prepare to die._"_

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A/N: Never really written a Youko/Kagome before. Kurama and Kagome, yes. Purely Youko, no. My other stories are boring me right now so why not start a new one, ne_?_


	2. Chapter 2

II

Youko scowled, growing weary of the exchange, although his senses were on high alert. He couldn't afford to take his usual liberties with this particular dog. No, Sesshomaru was not one to be trifled with. The sheer magnitude of youki rolling off of the taiyoukai was enough to pin his ears back.

Proving to be too agile against the _dokkaso, _Sesshomaru had elected to unsheathe Bakusaiga, a rather magnificent blade that was positively singing with its master's battle aura. Sweeping it forward in a long arc, a powerful blast of youki erupted from it and barreled towards the kitsune at a quick clip, demolishing the ground into a huge trench as it approached.

Managing to evade the attack was easy enough, however they were beginning to come in quicker succession now and he was beginning to tire as he again leaped high into the air to avoid the strike.

"I was hoping the bastard would save some of you for me!" Another voice snarled from behind him and Youko contorted his body with slightly wide eyes at the newcomer who had caught him in a bad position. Heaving their blade forward with ease despite its hulking size, their amber eyes promised death. _"Kaze no Kizu!"_

His fate seemingly sealed, Youko prepared himself to be torn to shreds by the wind barrage. Up in the air as he was, he resigned himself to his impending death and sighed slightly. Uncurling his palm, he stared down at the Shikon no Tama.

It really was quite beautiful.

And then, suddenly, he was yanked out of the trajectory of the oncoming blast by the back of his tunic and it jumped out of his hand, dropping perilously to the ground below.

"Youko! What the_ fuck_ have you got us into?!"

The kitsune stared unabashed up at Kuronue. "Excellent timing my friend, but you made me drop my jewel!"


	3. Chapter 3

III

Hidden in the trees, Shippo watched and waited. He was a little surprised Sesshomaru hadn't already killed the bastard fox who had stolen the jewel, however the moment had seemed to come when Inuyasha took him by surprise and unleashed the wind scar. Right in its path, the thief would be torn to shreds. Satisfaction flourished in his heart. His death would be fast – not quite enough suffering in his opinion, but it would be _painful. _

Only for that fucking bat to swoop in and save him.

"Damn it!" Anger blazed hotly in Shippo's veins and reflexively he reached into the quiver of arrows on his back. In one swift movement he notched an arrow in Kagome's bow and with deadly precision he let it fly. "Looks like it's up to me! Kagome, we'll get you back!" he promised fiercely.

His eyes never left his target and it was then that he noticed it; a glint in the sky.

He'd honed his skill over the years, the arrow was flying straight and true, and the kitsune got a distinctively bad feeling.

"No!" he gasped, dashing from the trees, fear stopping his heart when he realized it was too late. "_Kagome!"_

In the sky, the tip of the arrow pierced the Shikon no Tama and several sets of eyes were blinded when for the second time in its long existence, it shattered, bathing the land in an illuminating pink light.

* * *

A/N: Can anyone picture a grown Shippo as an archer? Love the idea of it. Happy New Year!


	4. Chapter 4

Standing at the top of the hill and contemplating the rolling plain that stretched further than her eyes could see, Kagome's fists clenched at her sides and she turned her gaze to the ground. Around her ankles long blades of green-gold grass wilted in the wake of the malignant miasma that preceded Naraku's arrival.

Crouching down, she pressed her palm to the ground and sourced her powers, watching as the pink light banished the shadows and the meadow restored itself. His chuckle was close to her ear when she slowly rose. "Always so insistent on keeping this place pretty, ne?"

"You're wasting your time," she growled, shrugging away from the hand that brushed her long hair away from her neck.

"Time?" he intoned thoughtfully, his claret eyes following the lines of her figure as she moved away from him. "What is time anymore, priestess?"

Kagome pointedly ignored his jeering. It was true that time was no longer dictated the realm. Long ago she had lost any semblance of it. She simply existed now in this place; her and Naraku. Light and darkness, perfectly balanced.

"Without time the day you wait for will _never _come."

Spinning towards him, Kagome's eyes flashed warningly. "I _will_ be released from this place and then you _will_ be finished."

He seemed to disappear in a wisp of smoke, appearing before her and curling his fingers around the column of her throat. "And when do you suppose that will be, hm? We cannot exist without each other, little priestess."

The touch of his hand had her visibly recoiling and her powers flared on their own accord, but it was as he said. Here they were equal; never able to overtake each other.

Looking up, Kagome beseeched the sky in silent prayer.

Then, it seemed to crack as if it was a mirror. White hot light split through the meandering clouds, parting them into a void with the suction force of the kazanna. Naraku's eyes snapped to hers. "What is this?" he hissed.

Both of them were lifted into the air, their long raven locks whipping around in the wind force. Kagome reached for him, her powers forming until they took the shape of a shining, pink arrow that she meant to stab right into the place where a heart once beat.

"You cannot kill me," Naraku spat with hatred and as her arrow pierced his flesh, pain barreled through her mid-section as he shoved his fist into her stomach with an extra dose of putrid miasma.

_Pain…_ she thought with a grimace. _I can… feel it. _

Closing her eyes, she held onto her mortal enemy, thinking that this sensation almost felt like time-travel.

She was leaving this hellish place.


	5. Chapter 5

The long moments that followed the shattering of the Shikon no Tama were the most opportune for Youko and Kuronue to make their escape. Being outnumbered by three high-calibre youkai left them at a disadvantage, but Youko found himself transfixed by the events unfolding and unable to turn away.

Toxic purple fumes billowed through the air followed by pulses of malignant youki that were steadily fighting against something abundantly more pure. It was several more seconds before he could begin to make out what was causing it and by then he and Kuronue were long forgotten by their pursuers.

Two dark haired figures emerged from the potent miasma; a man and a woman locked in an embrace or what appeared to be. The metallic scent of blood hit Youko's nose and that of burning flesh, so putrid that his stomach roiled when finally he could see it – the man and the woman connected by one hand each plunged into the other with the aim to kill.

The man screamed in wretched agony as the pink light coursing into his body became too much to bare. Her eyes flipped open, fierce and blue and determined through the pain as he dug into her stomach another inch to push his hand through her spine.

"You cannot end my life without sacrificing your own, little priestess," he rasped harshly in her ear, rallying his youki in one last ditch effort to overcome her.

Her body shuddered and blood trickled out of the corner of her mouth. "If that is what it takes to end you, then so be it."


	6. Chapter 6

No amount of words could describe the feeling of seeing Kagome again. The sensation of her reiki, burning so fiercely, so brightly, against Shippo's youki was something that he would never forget, yet to sincerely feel it once more, the _real_ thing and not just a memory had tears stinging high in his nose and his heart shattering and becoming whole again all at once. A gaping void inside of him, thought to never ever again be filled magically began to stitch itself shut in the matter of an instant.

She was alive.

Of course they had considered shattering the tama once again in hopes that just this would occur. He, Inuyasha, Sesshomaru. Miroku and Sango. They sought out the wisest of youkai, Bokuseno and Myoga. All matters were discussed, all possible outcomes. Yes, the quest would begin anew. As evil always existed in the world, who else would become their enemy? Would Naraku rise once again? What kind of in-between world did they even exist in inside of the shikon? Was it truly that simple?

So many questions and never any answers. Only faith, only a small lingering hope that once day she would be returned to them.

It only took another moment for that dream to die.

The smell of her blood came to his nose. The haze of miasma cleared and the sight was horrific.

Shippo could do nothing but crumble to his knees, his heart in agony at the image of her nearly impaled and on the brink of death in Naraku's grasp.

All their hopes, gone and burned out because he had once again shattered the jewel. So long they had anticipated this moment, hesitated out of uncertainty, foolishly allowed the time to pass while they tried to find another way, only for her to suffer.

"K-Kagome!" he cried brokenly.

Everyone stood frozen, even the two bastard thieves who knew _nothing_. Shippo hated the silver fox particularly. Just another greedy youkai who came seeking the jewel for their own use.

Not one had ever questioned why _they_ never used the jewel.

Naturally Sesshomaru was the first to act and Shippo watched, still too indisposed by fear and shame. _Save her Sesshomaru-sama! Please…_ With a snarl the Taiyoukai summoned his youki, eyes red and forgoing Bakusaiga to dash into the fray with his claws dripping with poison.

Naraku turned his head towards him and a displeased expression stole over his face. He was weak now, Sesshomaru would kill him in only a matter of seconds if he remained to finish the priestess off. With a sigh, he roughly pulled his hand from her gut. She choked with a gasp and blood splattered against his cheek. Leaving her to fall to the ground, the loss of pressure from his arm keeping the hemorrhaging from beginning saw a crimson pool drenching the ground alarmingly fast.

A cloud of miasma burst forth and Sesshomaru cut down the tentacles that shot out to obstruct him, coming in quick succession to infuriatingly slow him down. At some point Inuyasha had come to his senses and was in the thick of things with him, Tetsusaiga slashing hopelessly.

In the end, Naraku escaped.


	7. Chapter 7

The two inuyoukai and Shippo crowded around Kagome, Inuyasha cradling her in his lap with a devastated face. "Kagome!" Her eyes were closed, the rise and fall of her chest still. Blood flowed thickly, saturating the hanyou's haori. "Damn it you fucking wench!" he yelled, "You can't die! You can't—" Words died on his tongue and he went cold.

Shippo dropped to his knees beside her. Tears blurred his vision, hot and burning his eyes as they spilled down his face. "Fuck," he swore uncharacteristically. It took everything in him not to spill the contents of his stomach. He didn't care anything about his so-called manliness, didn't care that he was older now and no kit anymore and maybe shouldn't cry, just openly sobbed when the youki he reached out to her was not answered.

"Lay her down, Inuyasha," Sesshomaru ordered sternly, "The underlings of the Netherworld are coming to take her soul."

Inuyasha's glassy amber eyes snapped to the sword at his waist. "Tenseiga!" he cried.

Swiping his sleeve across his eyes, Shippo moved back only as far away from Kagome as he had to. "Will it work?" he whispered hoarsely to Sesshomaru.

The Taiyoukai's face was hard. "They will not take her from us."

Unsheathing Tenseiga, the heavenly fang pulsed in silent communication to its master. Narrowing his eyes, Sesshomaru poised the sword as the servants of death appeared around Kagome, clamoring to extract her soul from her dead body.

"Filthy creatures," he spat, slashing through them and relishing in their screeches of agony as they were banished.

It was many long, tense moments before the miko made any kind of movement. Slowly, the gaping hole in her stomach began to repair, only to stop before it was even half healed.

"Kagome?" Inuyasha hedged gently, brushing her bangs away from her eyes as they sluggishly fluttered open, tears already leaking out of the corners.

"I-Inuyasha…" she answered weakly, pulling in all of her strength to raise her hand and touch his cheek. "Y-you're r-real."

He nodded mutely, pulling her into his lap again and close to his chest, burying his face into her shoulder, his body shuddering with relief. She slowly turned her head, glancing to Shippo. The kitsune waited, watching her face closely as recognition passed over it. "Shippo?" she whispered.

"It's me…" he promised her with a watery smile, "Just a little older now is all." Taking her hand, he nuzzled his face to it still wet with his tears. "Kagome… I'm… I'm so _glad."_

As the three had their reunion, Sesshomaru had turned towards the forest, searching. The fox and the bat had made their escape, and though they were not his main concern at the present moment, he would find them.

And they would die.

"Oi, Sesshomaru." Inuyasha said gruffly.

Looking passively over his shoulder, he arched a brow. Kagome, with the help of Inuyasha sat up as much as her body would allow. "Sesshomaru-sama," she murmured reverently, "_Thank you."_

Already he felt annoyance generating at her need for sentiments. "Hn."

* * *

A/N: Pretty sure if someone found out I was writing stories at work instead of, you know, working, I would get in a lot of trouble lol. Hope you all have enjoyed these last few chapters I've posted.


	8. Chapter 8

Remembrance of the heist gone wrong plagued Youko days later. Partially it was due to the fact that they had come away empty-handed, virtually unheard of in their aspiring careers, however mostly it was the human woman who was monopolizing his mind. The kitsune liked to think that he was of a higher mind as to not unnecessarily discriminate another being based on species alone, and in this case it was supremely obvious that she was a special sort of human and so it was no mystery as to why she'd caught his attention.

Contemplating the moon, he was mildly aware of Kuronue approaching the base of what the bat youkai deemed his 'thinking tree'. "Are you ever going to come down from there?" his partner called up into the branches.

Youko lazily rolled his golden eyes in his partner's direction, stifling a sigh before shifting his lithe body to drop gracefully to the forest floor.

Violet eyes regarded him curiously. "We are lucky to have escaped with our lives, there is no need to sulk," Kuronue chided.

"I am _not _sulking."

The bat youkai grinned wryly. "I know sulking when I see it. As prepared as we were, we could have never foreseen_ that_ coming. Interesting turn of events, indeed. I wonder how that human woman gained such favor among that particular circle of youkai."

Listening to Kuronue ramble, Youko's mind began to turn in a decidedly foolish direction. A familiar feeling excited his blood; inquisitiveness, the need to know.

Kuronue studied the silver-haired kitsune suddenly feeling suspicious. "Youko, you are not considering going back to the Western fortress?" he queried with resignation. "That woman is likely dead. We both saw her nearly impaled through the spine. A mere human would not have survived."

Golden eyes gleamed back at him devilishly. "Then I suppose I will have to find out."

Scowling, Kuronue muttered, "Curiosity killed the cat."

"Well, then. It must be a good thing that I am not a cat."

* * *

A/N: Hi everyone, thank you for all the feedback the last few chapters. Glad to see you seem to be enjoying this little fic.


	9. Chapter 9

Pale moonlight shone through the sheer curtains covering the windows of her private chamber, dancing across Kagome's face and coaxing her from slumber. Eyelashes fluttering open, her body tensed as she became more sentient to her surroundings; eventually relaxing when her mind was able to catch up and determine that she was still in the realm of the living.

Settling back more comfortably into her pillow, her eyes idly wandered around the room, searching the roving shadows that swelled and resided in time with the clouds drifting past the moon. At her request, she'd asked to be left alone for the night. Since her return, Shippo and Inuyasha had been hovering for obvious reasons, but her wounds were healing fairly well thanks to Tenseiga and additional reiki treatments. And truthfully she needed the solitude to allow the reality of her return to sink in. They had argued, however eventually, and very begrudgingly given in.

Every time she woke, there was a paralyzing moment of panic where she didn't know where she was; fear of still being trapped in that in-between place between the dead and the living world. But she wanted to overcome that on her own. It would take time for her mind to strengthen again, to feel safe and real.

When it crossed her mind that meditation would be helpful, she wrestled the sheets off her legs, restlessness buzzing inside of her. Softly, she padded to the window and pulled aside the curtains, peering out into the palatial gardens that ensconced Sesshomaru's entire Western Fortress. It was very late or very early depending on how one looked at it, and the gardens were still, sleeping almost. The miko knew very well that her family would not want her to venture outside, however her rebellious, stubborn streak had not disappeared in her time away.

_Just a little while, some fresh air will be nice._

Leaving the window, she never saw the flash of gold and wisp of silver.

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**A/N:** I'm being bad and playing hooky from work; something I rarely do but just didn't have it in me today to be a grownup. I thought I would revisit my writings. Quite possible I will update this one again today.


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